Equity Tour

What is equity, anyway?

Equity is the belief that society should be free from bias or favoritism, and that people should have equal access to resources, health services, education, and opportunities. Here is an example of how equity, or its lack, impacts lives1:

Consider two South African children born on the same day in the same year. One is black, female and born to a poor family in a rural area, while the other is white, male and born to a wealthy family in Cape Town. One child has a 7.2% chance of dying in their first year – more than twice that of the other. One can be expected to live until 68 – 18 years longer than the other. One is also likely to have 12 years of formal schooling…while the other will be lucky to have one full year in the classroom.

In each case it’s the young black female child who loses.

Schoolchildren in Cape Town, South Africa.

Who is most affected?

Gender, economic class, ethnicity, race, culture, and age all play a part in equity. People have different
priorities around how governments and businesses run, and how natural resources should be used.

Those with political and economic power have a larger say in decision-making than those who have been traditionally excluded—women, ethnic and cultural minorities, the poor, elderly, and children.

These excluded groups nevertheless face the most serious consequences of decisions that negatively affect the environment and natural resources, since they are largely dependent on natural resources for their livelihood.2

Those in power may make decisions that force them from their homes, such as the preparations for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. It is estimated that up to 1.5 million people were displaced from their homes to make way for development, often against their wishes.3

Construction workers in Beijing, China building the Water Cube, the Olympic swimming center.

And as a result of exclusion from social, educational and employment opportunities, the poor and disenfranchised are more likely to turn to violence and conflict, especially in areas with an ineffective governance system and a legacy of violence.4

To learn more, view these videos on gender inequality and indigenous inequality:

UNICEF: Securing rights of minority and indigenous children - a video about indigenous inequality

Where are the consequences felt?

One way to measure equity is the Human Development Index, which ranks countries based on quality of life. In countries with a high Human Development Index, people enjoy long and healthy lives, high levels of education, and a decent standard of living.

The top five countries in terms of human development are:

Norway

Australia

Iceland

Canada

Ireland

The lowest five countries are:

To see how human development levels have changed over time in different countries, see this interactive map.

Why is equity important?

When the voices of all citizens are heard, decisions made will have more legitimacy than when only a small group has a voice. The people most likely to be excluded from decision-making are those who will have to face the most serious impacts: a shortened lifespan, few education opportunities, and fewer vaccines and treatment for disease.

How can we address equity challenges?

The development and growth of ICCAs (Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas) has helped marginalized communities protect valuable ecosystems and have a louder voice within governments. Globally, 12% of land is identified as ICCAs; explore an interactive map of protected areas.

Bale Mountains National Park protects the largest remaining population of the Ethiopian endemic Simien Wolf, the rarest canine in the world.

You can become informed about and potentially join groups that work for equity in issues like education, healthcare, and employment. Some examples of groups include:

Human Rights, Gender, and Equity Lessons

Creating Our Future(Grades 9-12)
Students consider what they can personally do to create solutions to human rights issues. They will identify what human rights issues they want to work on. Using an action-planning model, students visualize solutions to this specific issue, identify objectives, develop a plan, and implement their vision through action and service learning.

Current Events and Human Rights(Grades 9-12)
Students explore a number of current events related to human rights issues. After researching and responding to specific questions about a specific current event, they present information back to their peers about the issue, the rights that were violated, and what solutions have been offered.

Defending Civil Rights (Grades 9-12)
Students examine a variety of historic civil rights court cases in the United States. They will analyze these cases in pairs and create compelling opening statements to present to their peers to advocate for the rights these court cases sought to protect. The activity will culminate in creating a timeline of these cases to see how far the Civil Rights Movement has come in the United States.

Everyone Does Better When Women Do Better(Grades 5-12)
Students enact the roles of citizens and government representatives from various countries at a "town meeting" forum. Citizens address their local government representative with concerns about the status of women and girls in their country and recommend potential solutions.

Life: The Long and Short of It(Grades 5-12)
Students compare life expectancy (a common indicator of good health) among several countries and discuss possible explanations for the differences. They also examine the connection between per capita expenditures on health care and life expectancy.

Map of Myself: Identity and Culture (Grades K-4)
Just as each unique natural species plays an essential role in the healthy biodiversity of nature, the unique identities of humans contribute to the diversity between and within cultures. The extent to which people recognize and cherish diverse identities is an important factor in the health of human communities. The concept of mapping personal and cultural identity is introduced through Sara Fanelli’s My Map Book. Students brainstorm personal and cultural identity and then produce a poster that “maps” their identity. A gallery walk to review student posters reveals differences in identity. Leo Lionni’s story, Fish is Fish, drives home the importance of maintaining one’s identity as separate from, yet still connected to, the identities of others. The lesson ends with the song, So Much the Same, which celebrates diversity and unity.

The Power to Change (Grades 9-12)
Students brainstorm different types of human rights. After reviewing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they are provided a specific article from the Declaration. In groups, students create 2 skits: one that presents how an individual or group is not allowed to exercise a particular right and one that presents an individual or group able to exercise this right because of a personal or structural solution. Students act out these skits to their classmates.

Seeking Asylum (Grades 5-12)
Through a simulation, students experience the difficult choices and struggles facing refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) when they are forced to leave their homes. Students learn about the root causes of refugee and IDP crises, and the options and obstacles each group faces.

Take a Step for Equity (Grades 5-12)
Students are randomly assigned an economic class, and then hear poverty and wealth statistics describing their economic class as they step forward in a line. Ultimately, a distance is created between the wealthiest and the poorest, illustrating the economic gap between the rich and poor. Students brainstorm and discuss ways to alleviate poverty and hunger.

We equip and motivate students to develop critical thinking skills, build global awareness, and engage in positive solutions for a sustainable future through hands-on curricula and professional learning.